“And besides, the people will see our backs as much as our fronts,” Tabby said. “Oh! And we can have burgundy high heels. I hope we’re at least a foot taller than all the bridesmaids.”

Mitzi drew in the bow and scribbled some color on it and the dress. “Why would you want to be taller?”

Tabby tipped her chin up. “Because Mother won’t like it. She’s this little petite thing that barely comes to our shoulders. I think she left us when we were babies because she was ashamed of us. She knew we’d be bigger than her by the time we were in the third grade.”

Dixie looked a little sheepish, as if maybe she shouldn’t reveal that about her mother, but it was the truth. “Daddy kind of wanted us to play basketball, but neither of us like sports so well.”

“So what do you like?” Mitzi blinked away the tears in her eyes. Even if Rita had other reasons for leaving Graham, the girls had grown up thinking that she was ashamed of them. And then to disappoint their father, too—bless their hearts.

“Clothes, makeup, and making flower arrangements. We got to take a class in that at the vo-tech school last summer and we loved it.” Tabby pointed to the mannequin on the stairs. “You should put a bouquet in her hands. You could even change it out with the seasons. Like red roses at Valentine’s and yellow or pale pink for the summer.”

Dixie’s head bobbed up and down. “And orange daisies for fall and maybe poinsettias for Christmas.”

“If I get some silk flowers tomorrow, could you come in the afternoon and make a bouquet for her?” Mitzi asked.

“Yes!” they both said at the same time.

“Ask your dad if it’s all right, and let me know. Right now let’s go look at fabric.” Mitzi picked up her sketches and carried them into the huge old living room.

“Oh. My. God!” Tabby’s hands went to her cheeks. “Have I died and gone to heaven? Look at all this beautiful stuff.”

Dixie wiped her hands on her jeans before she touched the bolts of lace and satin. “I could live in this room.”

“This one.” Tabby immediately pointed at a bolt of soft-pink silk.

Mitzi took down a bolt of the same material in a dark burgundy and laid it beside the pink one. “With the bow out of this? We have satin shoes here that we can dye to match either color. So what do you think?”

“Yes, yes, yes.” Tabby clapped her hands. “Can we try on the shoes and see what heel height we want?”

“Of course.” Mitzi pointed. “Shoes are right there. Just find your size and start trying on. There are footies in the basket right there. So we’re agreed on the fabric and the style for the dress?”